What is the bolus dose of ketamine?

• A. 5-10 mg/kg
• B. 0.1-0.2 mg/kg
• C. 0.5-1 mg/kg
• D. 10-20 mg/kg

Answer: (C)

Ketamine dosing is weight-based and the aim of a bolus is to achieve rapid sedation and analgesia without going into deeper anesthesia. A rapid IV push in the range of about 0.5 to 1 mg/kg provides quick onset and dissociative anesthesia with preserved airway reflexes and typically minimal respiratory depression. Higher doses, such as several milligrams per kilogram, are used for full induction of anesthesia and bring greater cardiovascular stimulation and longer recovery, while doses lower than this may not produce adequate sedation or analgesia. The other options are either too small to reliably work as a bolus or too large for a typical bolus dose, making 0.5–1 mg/kg the best fit for a ketamine bolus in many prehospital or procedural settings.